Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 020 Free Tasting (1/2)

Chapter 20: Chapter 020 Free Tasting

Translator: 549690339

“This is a family craft, not to be shared.” Zhuang Qingning smiled and said, “Since you find it tasty, ma’am, would you like two more pieces?”

“How could one simply eat tofu without paying? I indeed find the taste good, and I was planning to buy some tofu in the afternoon to cook with. I was going to stop by the Changji Tofu Shop after I finished selling my fried chop rice cake. Now it seems like I don’t have to, I can buy it from you directly.”

While speaking, Mrs. Liu took out her purse: “You said your tofu is one coin per tael? Give me two taels.”

“Sure thing.” Zhuang Qingning happily agreed, weighing the tofu carefully: “Since it’s my first day of business, I’m offering two and a half taels of tofu for two coins. I’ll give you three taels.”

Mrs. Liu, a seasoned small business owner, knew the weight as soon as she held it in her hand. Her smile broadened as she handed over the money.

“Thank you, ma’am.” Zhuang Qingning accepted with a bright smile.

“What’s there to thank for? It’s natural to pay for what you buy,” Mrs. Liu said, “Are you selling tofu again tomorrow?”

“My grandson at home loves tofu balls. He won’t eat properly if there aren’t any tofu balls in the soup or in his meals. Your tofu is delicious, so I guess the fried tofu balls would be as well. If you come tomorrow, I’ll buy again.”

“My tofu hot pot is bubbling away at home, how could I possibly stop?” Zhuang Qingning smiled: “I’ll keep a piece for you tomorrow, ma’am.”

“Sure thing.” Mrs. Liu grinned, placing the tofu carefully in the basket underneath her fried chop rice cake.

“Hey, I say, is your tofu really as delicious as you claim it to be?”

On the side selling pea cake was an old man named Ge Hetong. Seeing Mrs. Liu’s prompt purchase, he expressed surprise: “Are you two putting on some kind of show?”

“I didn’t like what you just said.” Mrs. Liu’s face dropped instantly when she heard this: “At my age, do you think I’d lie?”

“Moreover, I’ve been selling my fried chop rice cake here for a long time. Have you ever seen me praising other’s things like this? These two girls are here for the first time yet you think they’d trick me? For this tofu priced one coin per tael, do you really think I’d go through all that trouble?”

“You have a point.” Ge Hetong stroked his sparse goatee, contemplating the tofu in front of Zhuang Qingning, “Is this tofu really better than the one from Changji Tofu Shop?”

“Why not try it to find out?” Zhuang Qingning suggested, “If it’s not tasty, don’t buy it. There’s no harm in trying a piece.”

Curious why Mrs. Liu, who usually looked down on his pea cake, would compliment this tofu, Ge Hetong decided to give it a try himself.

“Hmm?” After tasting, Ge Hetong was quite surprised: “Wow, this really is better than the tofu from Changji Tofu Shop.”

While he was speaking, he picked up another piece to eat: “This isn’t bad at all. I can go home and fry it, or mix it with chives and some glass noodles, even stuff it into vegetarian buns with some garlic…”